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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28941999">Safe in Your Arms</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat'>alexcat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 Cap - Iron Man Bingo  (2) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bingo, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Comfort, M/M, tony is so cold</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:08:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>923</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28941999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexcat/pseuds/alexcat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony just needs to be safe once more.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve Rogers/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>2020 Cap - Iron Man Bingo  (2) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1879633</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Captain America/Iron Man Bingo, Of Elves and Men</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Safe in Your Arms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For STONY Bingo 2020. Round 2 - Prompt: Reunion</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At Avenger’s headquarters, Steve Rogers had just finished shaving his beard off when he felt the vibrations and heard the landing. He dried his face off and ran outside with the others. Carol was landing on the airfield with a spaceship! She’d found him!  She’d found Tony!</p><p>After Carol set the ship down, the door opened and Tony came down the steps followed a blue woman who looked to be partially metal. Steve rushed to catch him before he fell to the ground. He looked every day of his 48 years and then some. </p><p>“I lost the kid,” Tony said. His voice was despairing. </p><p>Steve knew he meant the Parker boy, the kid from Queens. Bruce had told him that the kid had taken off with Tony and Strange on Thanos’ ship. </p><p>“I’m sorry, Tony. We couldn’t stop him. <i>I</i> couldn’t stop him.”</p><p>Rocket made a beeline for the blue woman.  She’d been sister to one of his crew, Steve remembered. Pepper ran up and hugged Tony, too.  She and Steve helped him into the building. He was so frail that he needed all their help.  </p><p>Steve was terrified when he saw how skinny and pale Tony was. And cold. Holding onto him was like holding an iceberg. He never wanted to let go as Bruce and Rhodey met them at the door. </p><p>Rhodes and Banner whisked him off to the medical wing as soon as they got inside and got fluids started in an IV. Bruce decided he needed some antibiotics for the injury Thanos had given him. The blue woman had taken good care of the wound and it was partially healed but the antibiotics would make sure to kill any stray infection that might be left behind. </p><p>Steve couldn’t bear to leave Tony’s side once they got him settled into a bed. Bruce had to move him out the way several times as he hooked up monitors and started the IV, but didn’t dare say anything. They all knew how much Steve had worried about Tony. </p><p>Tony had said little since they’d come back into the building. Steve was dying to ask him if he had any ideas what they should do. He said nothing instead, just sat beside Tony’s bed and waited for him to say speak again. </p><p>Sometime during the night, Steve nodded off. </p><p>“Rogers, I’m thirsty. Can you find me a Coke?” His eyes popped open as he felt Tony’s icy hand touch his. </p><p>He nodded.  “I can. I’ll be right back.”</p><p>Banner was sitting outside the room, reading something on his tablet. He looked up when Steve came out. </p><p>“Coke? He wants a Coke,” Steve asked him. </p><p>Banner nodded. “Sure. Tell him to sip slowly. He’ll throw up if he guzzles it.”</p><p>Steve nodded and grabbed a Coke for Tony from the fridge in the waiting area outside the medical wing. He found a straw and hurried back to Tony, who was sitting up in bed, waiting for him. He handed the opened can to Tony when he went back into his room. </p><p>“Thanks.” </p><p>“Bruce said to take it slow,” Steve remembered to tell him just as Tony took a huge drink from the straw, “or you’ll throw up.” </p><p>Thankfully, the one big gulp hadn’t made him sick and he took sips after the warning. </p><p>“I ought to be mad as hell at you, Steve,” Tony said. “You weren’t there.”</p><p>Steve hung his head. He’d beat himself up every minute of every day since the Snap, but Natasha told him over and over that he couldn’t have defeated Thanos on Titan if hadn’t been able to in Wakanda. He had done what he could. It wasn’t enough, but it was all he had.</p><p>“No. I wasn’t. I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“I don’t think it mattered in the end. I – I thought I’d never see you again. I needed to say something. I still need to.” </p><p>Steve put a hand on Tony’s arm. “What is that?” </p><p>“I forgive you for Barnes. He couldn’t help what he did. I wish you’d told me, but it wouldn’t have changed things in the end, would it?” </p><p>Steve shook his head slowly. “I don’t think so.” </p><p>“And, uh, I’m awfully cold.  Do you think you could come here beside me and help me get warm? You were always as warm as an electric blanket.” Tony had always snuggled close on the nights when they’d been able to spend the whole night together, something that didn’t happen often. “Take your shirt off, I want to feel your warm skin next to me,” Tony added. </p><p>Steve stood and shed his shirt and his shoes, then carefully climbed into the small bed with Tony. Tony turned on his side and rested his head on Steve’s shoulder. Steve pulled the blankets up over them with his free hand and hugged Tony close with the arm that he lay on. </p><p>“I – I love you,” Tony told him. “Just in case I never said it. I’m saying it now.” </p><p>He had never said it to Steve, though he hadn’t needed to. Steve had always known that his love was returned.  That’s why their long separation had been so hard for Steve, why his heart ached every day they were apart. </p><p>“I love you, too, Iron Man,” Steve whispered as he kissed Tony’s forehead. “Now get some sleep. I’ll keep you safe.”  </p><p>Tony moved his head a little to look up into Steve’s face. He nodded and closed his eyes. He could rest now.  </p><p>Steve would watch over him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/alexcat45"><b>Tumblr</b></a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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